Abstract: Papers of cultural and linguistic anthropologist Roger M. Keesing, who studied the culture, history and language of the Kwaio
people of Malaita in the Solomon Islands. The Keesing Papers contain research material generated from his fieldwork with the
Kwaio and, to a lesser extent, work in the Himalayan villages of India, overall reflecting his interest in Melanesian languages
and cultural conflict caused by colonialism. Materials include correspondence with colleagues, friends, family, and associates;
manuscripts of published and unpublished works; ethnographic and linguistic data collected in field notebooks, journals, typescripts,
diaries, photographs, and recorded interviews; teaching material; writings of others related to his research interests; and
computer analysis of genealogical data from the Kwaio.

Creator:
Keesing, Roger M., 1935-

Restrictions

Original sound recordings are restricted. Researchers may refer to transcriptions, or request a listening copy be made in
advance.

Digital Content

Selected materials from this collection have been digitized and can be viewed through links in the container list, or by clicking
the link below.

Roger Martin Keesing, anthropologist and linguist, was born in Hawaii on May 16, 1935, the second child of two anthropologists
who had immigrated to the United States from New Zealand in 1928.

Keesing received a B.A. degree in social anthropology from Stanford in 1956. He then spent two years with the U.S. Air Force,
taking advantage of a posting to Turkey to conduct fieldwork. Deciding to continue his study of anthropology, he began graduate
work at Harvard University, obtaining an M.A. in 1963 and a doctoral degree in 1965. His dissertation,
Kwaio Marriage and Society, was based on ethnographic fieldwork with the Kwaio, a native people of Malaita in the Solomon Islands. He remained both
professionally and personally engaged with the Kwaio throughout his career.

He joined the faculty of the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 1965, becoming head of the anthropology department in
1971. His interest in the peoples of the Pacific region continued, and he served as Acting Director of the Center for South
Pacific Studies at U.C. Santa Cruz, 1972-1974.

In 1974 Keesing accepted the chair of the anthropology department at the Research School of Pacific Studies, Australian National
University, Canberra. He was there until 1990, when he returned to North America to teach anthropology at McGill University,
Montreal, Canada.

Keesing did fieldwork in the Solomon Islands in the early 1960s, working on his dissertation. He made regular visits over
the next two decades, recording ethnographic and linguistic data that would form the basis for numerous publications on the
Oceanic languages of the Solomon Islands. His book,
Melanisian Pidgen and the Oceanic Substrate (1988), made an important contribution to creole studies, building on his previous work, a
Kwaio Dictionary (1975) and
Kwaio Grammar (1985). He also carried out field research in Himalayan villages in India in 1978 and 1980-1981, but his most extensive contributions
to anthropology are his studies of the language and customs of the Kwaio people.

Keesing was able to pose broad theoretical questions and respond to them with detailed research results that reflected the
range of his interests: cultural theory, language, social structure, gender relations and the impact of colonial history and
development. He published widely, writing more than one hundred articles and ten books. He completely reworked the introductory
textbook his father had written, as reflected in the subtitle,
Cultural Anthropology: A Contemporary Perspective, which became a successful introductory text.

Papers of cultural and linguistic anthropologist Roger M. Keesing, who studied the culture, history and language of the Kwaio
people of Malaita in the Solomon Islands. The Keesing Papers contain research material generated from his fieldwork with the
Kwaio and, to a lesser extent, work in the Himalayan villages of India, overall reflecting his interest in Melanesian languages
and cultural conflict caused by colonialism. Materials include correspondence with colleagues, friends, family, and associates;
manuscripts of published and unpublished works; ethnographic and linguistic data collected in field notebooks, journals, typescripts,
diaries, photographs, and recorded interviews; teaching material; writings of others related to his research interests; and
computer analysis of genealogical data from the Kwaio.

Series 1) MISCELLANEOUS: Annual reports from 1986 to 1992 describing Keesing's research activities, calendar pages from 1963
to 1964, a certificate of alien registration to the Solomon Islands, Keesing's curriculum vitae, newspaper clippings, and
photographs of Keesing.

Box 1, Folder 1

Annual reports1986 - 1992

General note

Descriptions of Keesing's research activities.

Box 1, Folder 2

Autobiographical note, written by Keesing

Box 1, Folder 3

Calendar pages1963 - 1964

Box 1, Folder 4

Certificate of Alien Registration - Solomon Islands1962

Box 1, Folder 5

Curriculum vitae

Box 1, Folder 6

Newspaper clippings

Box 1, Folder 7

Photographs of Keesing

CORRESPONDENCE

Scope and Content of Series

Series 2) CORRESPONDENCE: Includes letters from Keesing's colleagues, friends, family, and associates spanning the years 1962
to 1993. David Akin and Jonathan Fifi'i are two major correspondents, as well as various Solomon Island Ministries. There
is is a folder titled "Kwaio Correspondents" containing letters from Malaita denizens written in the Kwaio language. Arranged
alphabetically by correspondent, and then chronologically within folders.

Box 1, Folder 8

A - Miscellaneous

Box 1, Folder 9

Acciaioli, Greg1989 - 1991

Box 1, Folder 10

'Adifaka, John (Jonathan Fifi'i's brother)1983 - 1990

Box 1, Folder 11

Air Reserve Records Center1962

Box 1, Folder 12

Akimichi, Tomoya1976 - 1977

Box 1, Folder 13

Akin, David and Kathleen Gillogly1984 - 1992

Box 1, Folder 14

Anderson, G. M.1976 - 1980

Box 1, Folder 15

Australian National University. Research School of Pacific Studies1974 - 1993

Box 1, Folder 16

B - Miscellaneous

Box 1, Folder 17

Baker, Martin1978

Box 1, Folder 18

Barth, Fredrick1990 - 1992

Box 1, Folder 19

Blackman, Margaret B.1989 - 1991

Box 1, Folder 20

Blust, Bob1988 - 1989

Box 1, Folder 21

Bocaz, Aura1990 - 1991

Box 1, Folder 22

Burt, Ben (Museum of Mankind, London)1974 - 1983

Box 1, Folder 23

C - Miscellaneous

Box 1, Folder 24

Carrier, James1989 - 1991

Box 1, Folder 25

Clark, Nicholas1983

Box 1, Folder 26

Craven, Anna1974 - 1979

Box 1, Folder 27

Crocombe, Ron G.1990

Box 1, Folder 28

D - Miscellaneous

Box 1, Folder 29

E - Miscellaneous

Box 1, Folder 30

East-West Center1974 - 1988

Box 1, Folder 31

Ehrlich, Celia1989 - 1990

Box 1, Folder 32

Encyclopedia of World Cultures1989 - 1990

Box 1, Folder 33

Evo, Michael1983

Box 1, Folder 34

F - Miscellaneous

Box 1, Folder 35

Feit, Harvey1990

Box 1, Folder 36

Field Supplies and Expenses1963 - 1964

Box 1, Folder 37

Fifi'i, Jonathan1966 - 1989

Box 1, Folder 38

Fifi'i, Seda1982 - 1990

Box 1, Folder 39

Fox, James1979 - 1992

Box 1, Folder 40

Frazer, Ian1988

Box 1, Folder 41

Freeman, Derek1992

Box 1, Folder 42

Friedlaender, Jonathan1973 - 1992

Box 1, Folder 43

Friedman, Jonathan1980 - 1992

Box 1, Folder 44

G - Miscellaneous

Box 2, Folder 1

Gegeo, David W.1976 - 1984

Box 2, Folder 2

Givon, Talmy1987 - 1990

Box 2, Folder 3

Goldsmith, Michael1989 - 1990

Box 2, Folder 4

H - Miscellaneous

Box 2, Folder 5

Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.1964 - 1991

Box 2, Folder 6

Human Nature1978 - 1979

Box 2, Folder 7

Hviding, Edvard1989 - 1992

Box 2, Folder 8

I - Miscellaneous

Box 2, Folder 9

Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin1987 - 1988

Box 2, Folder 10

J - Miscellaneous

Box 2, Folder 11

Jackson, Jean1989

Box 2, Folder 12

Jolly, Margaret1988 - 1991

Box 2, Folder 13

K - Miscellaneous

Box 2, Folder 14

Keesing, Donald B. (brother)1962

Box 2, Folder 15

Keesing, Felix (father)1935 - 1943

Box 2, Folder 16

Keesing, Nancy (cousin)1977 - 1986

Box 2, Folder 17

Keesing, Zina (wife)1963 - 1990

Box 2, Folder 18

KOCE-TV 50, Huntington Beach, California1981 - 1982

Box 2, Folder 19

Kwaio correspondents1975 - 1990

Box 2, Folder 20

L - Miscellaneous

Box 2, Folder 21

Laracy, Hugh1982 - 1989

Box 2, Folder 22

Larwood, Len (director, Atoifi Adventist Hospital)1975 - 1979

Box 2, Folder 23

Letters of recommendation

Restrictions

Restrictions Apply

Box 2, Folder 24

Letters regarding Keesing's applications for research in the Solomon Islands1976 - 1989

Series 4) WRITINGS BY OTHERS. Arranged in two subseries: A) Authors and B) Archival Material.

A) Authors: Correspondence, lectures, notes, and published and unpublished material by other authors, dating from 1954 to
1993. Arranged alphabetically by author.

B) Archival Material: Photocopies of material related to Keesing's research for
Lightning Meets the West Wind. This material dates from 1880 to 1939 and contains one microfilm reel. The material originates from three primary sources:
the diaries of district officer W. R. Bell, the London public records office, and the Western Pacific High Commission.

Western Pacific Archives - Correspondence. Copies of official correspondence between the District Officer's Office and the
High Commissioners for the Western Pacific. Named: Henry May, L. [Lewis Vernon] Harcourt, William Bell, Eyre Hutson
1911 - 1928

Western Pacific High Commission

Box 17, Folder 11

Murder of Rev. F. Daniels at Uru, Malaita, on 18th June, 1911

Box 17, Folder 12

Papers relating to the 1911 murder of missionary Frederick Daniels, including written testimonies and a typescript extract
titled "Narrow Escape" by Arthur Hopkins, Melanesian Mission

Box 17, Folder 13

Papers relating to several murder trials, April 21, 1921 - May 21, 1921

Box 17, Folder 14

Papers relating to the massacre of W.R. Bell and K.C. Lillies1927-1939

Box 78, Folder 1-7

Papers relating to the massacre of W.R. Bell and K.C. Lillies1927-1939

Box 78, Folder 8

Papers relating to the Ruby attack, November 15, 1911 - June 17, 1912

Box 78, Folder 9

Review of Conduct of Administration on Island of Malaita. Includes service report detailing the investigation following the
murders of Bell and Lillies
1928

Series 5) SOLOMON ISLANDS - FIELD RESEARCH: Materials generated by Keesing in his research trips to his field site. Arranged
in five subseries: A) Field Notebooks, B) Jonathan Fifi'i Notebooks, C) Paginated Sequence of Research Materials, D) Research
Notes and Records, E) Genealogies, and F) Kwaio Custom Books.

A) Field Notebooks: Contains stenographer's pads used by Keesing for rough notes and jottings during his day-to-day research
activties in Kwaio. Arranged chronologically.

B) Jonathan Fifi'i Notebooks: Fifi'i's (Keesing's main field assistant and informant) stenographer's pads used for his notes
and observations, mostly in Kwaio language, written in the times when Keesing was not in Kwaio.

C) Paginated Sequence of Research Materials: Contains Keesing's typed notes, mostly in chronological order, drawn from his
notebooks and interviews. He also included interview transcripts, diary entries and letters in the sequence. He later wrote
marginal numerical subject codes and stamped page numbers on these as a part of making a subject index of the notes. The index,
codes used for subjects, and the notes in page order are included.

D) Research Notes and Records: Field research records of special topics and subject notes. Of note are Keesing's handwritten
census notes and settlement diagrams for each hamlet in his study area, his case records of omea (mortuary payment) exchanges,
and correspondence written in the field to Douglas Oliver, Eugene Ogan, Jean Guiart, Daniel de Coppet, Paul Kay, Pierre Maranda
and others. Arranged alphabetically by folder title.

E) Genealogies: Records of genealogical interviews with Kwaio, a name index, and rough notes and unindexed genealogical records.
The subseries begins with the index and other guides to using the material, and is then arranged mainly by Keesing's numbering
of individual genealogical interviews, followed by unindexed notes.

F) Kwaio Custom Books: Works by Kwaio people, mostly in their language, about their views of customary rules, sacred taboos
and "generations" (their English word for genealogies). It also contains writings and traditional folklore prepared by David
Akin during his volunteer work at the Kwaio Cultural Center. Arranged alphabetically by author (where known) and by title.

Field Notebooks

Box 21, Folder 16

Index1962 - 1977

Box 21, Folder 17

1962 July - 1963 June

Box 21, Folder 18

1962 December - 1963 January

Box 22, Folder 1-12

1963 January - June

Box 23, Folder 1-13

1963 July - 1964 May

Box 24, Folder 1-10

1964 May - November

Box 24, Folder 11-13

1966 July - August

Box 24, Folder 14

1968 November - 1969 February

Box 25, Folder 1-2

1969 March - August

Box 25, Folder 3-9

1969 October - 1970 April

Box 25, Folder 10

1970 August - November

Box 25, Folder 11-12

1974 November - December

Box 26, Folder 1

1974 December

Box 26, Folder 2-3

1979 July - August

Box 26, Folder 4

1985 December

Box 26, Folder 5

1988

Box 26, Folder 6

Honiara1988 September

Box 26, Folder 7-8

1989 March - July, November

Box 26, Folder 9

1990 May

Box 26, Folder 10

[undated], March 20 - September 23

Box 26, Folder 11

[undated], May 19 - May 26

Box 27, Folder 1-3

undated

Jonathan Fifi'i Notebooks

Box 27, Folder 4

Chronological index to notes1963 - 1970

Box 27, Folder 5

Notes on numbering of notebooks

Box 27, Folder 6-13

1-7121963 - 1965

Box 28, Folder 1-13

713-14301965 - 1966

Box 29, Folder 1-11

1431-20711966 - 1968

Box 30, Folder 1-5

2072-24491968 - 1970

Box 30, Folder 6

9/63 - 1/64, pp. 0001 - 0111

Box 30, Folder 7

1/64 - 4/64, pp. 0112 - 0227

Box 30, Folder 8

4/64 - 8/64, pp. 0228 - 0357

Box 30, Folder 9

8/64 - 11/64, pp. 0358 - 0498

Box 30, Folder 10

12/64 - 2/65, pp. 0559 - 0712

Box 31, Folder 1

2/65 - 3/65, pp. 0714 - 0824

Box 31, Folder 2

4/65 - 5/65, pp. 0825 - 0936

Box 31, Folder 3

6/65 - 7/65, pp. 0937 - 1043

Box 31, Folder 4

7/65 - 9/65, pp. 1044 - 1154

Box 31, Folder 5

9/65 - 10/65, pp. 1154 - 1210

Box 31, Folder 6

10/65 - 11/65, pp. 1211 - 1320

Box 31, Folder 7

11/65 - 1/66, pp. 1321 - 1430

Box 31, Folder 8

8/69 - 3/70, pp. 2275 - 2373

Box 31, Folder 9

4/70 - 8/70, pp. 2374 - 2449

Box 31, Folder 10-11

UCSC notes - Land, word, taboos, etc

Box 31, Folder 12

Photocopies of handwritten notes, with some original handwritten writings in Kwaio1970

Box 31, Folder 13

Custom writings and papers - Photocopies of Fifi'i writings on customs, notes, and correspondence. In Kwaio and English1984 - 1989

Paginated Sequence of Research Materials

Index of Miracode Thesaurus

Box 31, Folder 14

Guide to Keesing's system of subject codes used to annotate and index fieldnotes

Various Generations, Texts, Customs - Handwritten pages. Diagrams of "generations," lists of taboos, texts in Kwaio and English

Box 34, Folder 31-32

Story of Bata

Box 34, Folder 33

Boulalea, Ofana - Manuscript, recopied by Keesing. Subject coded

General note

See
Kwaio Religion, pp. 164-167.

Box 34, Folder 34

Kwaio Cultural Center Books

SOLOMON ISLANDS - PHOTOGRAPHS

Scope and Content of Series

Series 6) SOLOMON ISLANDS - PHOTOGRAPHS. The vast majority of the images in this series have been digitized and can be viewed
by clicking on the links in the container list. Arranged in three subseries: A) Slides, B) Contact Sheets and Prints and C)
Photographs of Others.

A) Slides: Images of daily village activity and rituals, dating from 1963 to 1979. Box 35, folder 1 contains an index of the
slides created by David Akin. Arranged by roll number and date.

B) Contact Sheets and Prints: Images of daily village activity and rituals. Box 37, folder 1 contains an index of the contact
sheets and prints created by David Akin. In nearly every folder there is a contact sheet with several prints. The contact
sheets and prints date from 1963 to 1989; however, they are not consistently dated. A group of folders, located at the end
of the subseries, contain prints from various Keesing publications including
Lightning Meets the West Wind,
'Elota's Story, and
Kwaio Religion, and Jonathan Fifi'i's autobiography,
From Pig Theft to Parliment.

C) Photographs of Others: Includes aerial photographs of Keesing's research areas; however, there are folders containing photographs
attributed to others. There is no index for this subseries and very little descriptive annotation associated with any of the
photographs.